Coil binder



May 21, 1968 Filed April 18, 1966 F. HELLIGRATH ET AL 3,384,006

COIL BINDER 4 Sheets-Sheet l 116a MM 11% Frifz He/Iigrafh Offo RiedelWalfgr Ziems BY giarl TKO Attorney In venlors:

May 21, 1968 HELUGRATH ET AL 3,384,006

COIL BINDER Filed April 18, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Frifz Helligrafh O'HoRiec/el WaI-rer Ziems In venfors.

0 By gfl Attorney May 21, 1968 Filed April 18, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5Fritz HeI/igrafh OH'O Riedel Wal-l'er Ziems In ven zors.

Y gfp May 1, 1968 F. HELLIGRATH ET AL 3,384,006

COIL BINDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 18. 1966 Frifz Helligrafh OffoRiedel Walfer Ziems I In ven furs.

4 5S 3- Attorney United States Patent 0 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Acoil-tying device wherein the binder tongs are supplied with a binderwire and are pivotally mounted upon a rotatab e support and have cuttersadapted to sever lengths of the binder wire which is guided throughtubes between the binder tongs, the pairs of tongs being swingable on anarm jointly toward and away from the coil of wire.

Our present invention relates to a device for the binding of coils ofwires with elongated tie elements such as tie Wires into compactedpackages with the aid of binder tongs adapted to affix the ends of abinder wire about the coil.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide bindertong arrangements ofthis general type (i.e. wherein the binder tongs are adapted to draw atie wire around the coil and, for the most part, the binder tongsco-operate with clamping means or the like to compact the turns of thecoils and the strands thereof during the binding operation. While it hasbeen proposed to accele ate and simplify the binding operation by theprovision of binder tongs of certain constructions designed to effect acompaction of the coil concurrently with tying or with the aid of thetie wire stretched therearound. Most systems are relatively slow andunreliable.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention toprovide an improved device for the tying of wire coils with binderelements such as tie wires which operates in a simplified manner bycomparison with earlier systems, is free from breakdowns and requires aminimum of attention and supervision.

A further object of this invention is to provide a binder device fortying Wire coils which is capable of accelerating the coil-tyingprocess.

These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, areattained in accordance with the present invention, by the provision oftwo pairs of binder tongs having respective axes generally parallel tothe axis of the coil and parallel to one another for joint disp acementrelatively to the wire coil and to a tie-wire feed means t oppositesides of the coil. This arrangement, wherein the pairs of binder tongsare displaceable toward and away from the coil to engage the tie wires.draw them around the coil at these diametrically opposite locations andtwist or otherwise fasten the respective ends of the wires, has theadvantage that the coil is bound at diametrically opposite locationssimultaneously and that the apparatus is greatly simplified by the useof a common swingable support means for both sets of binder tongs. Thus,in accordance with the principles of the present invention. theswingable support for the binder tongs is pivotally mounted fordisplacement about an axis parallel to the plane of the axis of thebinder tongs and the plane of the coil to advance the pai s of bindertongs toward and away from the latter. A coil-binding operation can thenbe effected in a single step. The fastening operation can be carried outby rotating the pairs of binder tongs about their respective axes totwist the ends of the tie wires together or by welding these ends to oneanother with the aid of electrodes carried by the arms of the bindertongs. For the twisting action, the pairs of binder arms areadvantageously provided with respective shafts extending generallyperpendicularly to the plane of the coil and parallel to one another andconnected via suitable transmissions to a common drive mechanism. Thisarrangement ensures a simplicity of construction and operation,especially when the common support for the pairs of binder tongs alsocarries a drive motor for rotating the shafts of these arms andintertwining the ends of the respective tie wires. It has been found tobe of special advantage to form the arms of each pair of binder tongs sothat they overlap or crossover in the closed position, especially wheneach arm is provided with a clamping device for gripping the respectiveend of the tie wire. Thus, prior to rotation of the pairs of bindertongs about their respective axes, the ends of the tie wire held by thearms of each pair of tongs are closed to facilitate the twiningoperation. The twist imparted to the ends of the tie Wires is thusrelatively neat and free from difliculties.

According to a further feature of this invention, the feed means forsupplying the tie wires to the respective pairs of binder tongs areconstituted by a pair of linearly extending guides which define pathsfor the respective length of the tie wire parallel to the plane of thecoil and perpendicular to the axes of the pairs of binder tongs and thusalso parallel to the axes about which the support means for the pair ofbinder tongs is swingable. The guide path for the tie wires can thus liealong a diameter of the coil and can consist of two guides adapted tofeed respective lengths of the tie wire from opposite sides of the coilalong a common diameter thereof, corresponding to the intersection ofthe plane through the axes of the binder-tong shafts and a planeparallel to the coil. Each of the tubular guides can be aligned with therespective pair of binder tongs and is advantageously slotted or openlongitudinally in the direction of the binder tongs whereby the armsthereof can seize the respective length of the tie wire and draw themaround corresponding but diametrically opposite portions of the coil.The guide tubes are advantageously disposed just behind the coil tofacilitate the grasping of the tie wires by the arms of the bindertongs.

Each of the guide tubes is provided, in accordance with this invention,with means for advancing the respective tie wires therethrough, theguide tubes being spaced apart so that respective arms of the bindertong can engage the free extremities of the tie wires as they emergefrom the respective tubes longitudinally within the window defined bythe interior of the coil. The feed means is, moreover, provided withmeans (e.g. for raising and lowering the guides) whereby the other armsof each pair of binder tongs can engage the corresponding end of the tiewire. The guides are, moreover, preferably disposed at a receivingsurface for the coils so that they lie against the rear surface of acoil to be tied opposite that side of the coil upon which the bindertongs are disposed. This arrangement has been found to greatlyfacilitate the supply of the tie wire to the binder tongs when thelatter must, as a consequence of the cross-sectional area or width ofthe region of the coil to be tied, be open to such extent that thecoplanarity of the tongs would be affected.

According to a further feature of this invent-ion, the tie-wire guidemeans comprises a pair of half shells springloaded against one anotherand coupled together via swinging or pivoted links so that the link axesa e parallel to the tie wire and the guide path thereof. Thespringloaded half shells permit the automatic removal of the tie wire bythe binder tongs and also allow the length of binder wire to be severedfrom a supply coil with the aid of clamping arid/or cutting means uponthe binder arms. Thus, in accordance with this invention, each of thearms of the binder tongs are provided with a pair of clam-ping jawsengageable with the respective ends of the tie wire and cutting surfacesoutwardly of these clamping jaws at least on the side of the guide pathproximal to the supply reel for severing the length of wire for theparticular binding operation. The provision of the cutting means uponthe clamping jaws of the binder tongs ensures that bending of the wireduring a severing operation will be minimized and, if it occurs, cannotinfluence the twisting or tying step. Moreover, the length of the tiewire is always determined by the opening of the binder arms and thuscorresponds to the length of the tie wire required for the particularoperation.

Still another feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof a plurality of supply reels for at least two tie-wire strands which,rearwardly of the guide tube, are twisted together in order tostrengthen the binder element used for tying the coil and constitutingsame of a plurality of strands. For this purpose, the plurality ofsupply reels, which can thus supply relatively thin and weak strands,can be spun upon a common holder about an axis centered on the feed pathto yield a twisted tie wire on increased tensile strength, bendingresistance, etc.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the followingdescription, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front-elevational View, partly in diagrammatic form, of awire-tying device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device, partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is a side-elevational view, partly broken away and partly insection of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the binder tongs of a modified coil-tying devicewith the coil in a horizontal or prone position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the clamping portion of one of thebinder arms of the device of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view taken generally along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

In FIGS. l3, we show a coil-tying device 180, comprising a pair ofbinder-tong arrangements In and lb mounted upon a common support 110,comprising a pair of upright arms in and 212 respectively carrying thebinder tongs 1a and 1b at their upper ends and connected together by across bar 111 forming a pedestal 112 for a motor 4 Whose drive pulley113 is connected by belts 114a and 11% with the driven pulleys 115a and115b of the shafts 5a and 5b of the respective binder tongs whose axesare represented at 5a and 5b in FIGS. 2 and 3. The support 119 isswingably mounted via its arms 2:: and 2b between a pair of trunnions116a and 1161) via the pin 117 extending in a plane P (FIG. 3) of thecoil 7 which is held in place by support means not shown. Such supportmeans can consist of a clam-ping device or hanging conveyor from whichthe coil 7 is suspended from above so that its rear surface 7:: liesagainst the guide tubes 9a and 92; (FIGS. 2 and 3) which are describedin greater detail hereinafter. The arms 2a and 2b are interconnectedbetween the trunnions 116a and 1161: via a sleeve 118 through which thepin 117 passes.

The means for displacing the support 119 and the binder tongs 1a and 1bcarried thereby includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders 3a and 36respectively hinged at their lower extremities to lugs 119a and 1191')of channel irons 129a and 12Gb embedded in the foundation F of thedevice. The pistons 3a and 3b of the hydraulic cylinders and 3b arepivotally connected to plates 121a, 1211) fixed to the arms 2a and 2b(FIGS. 1 and 3) while a further hydraulic cylinder 3c is swingablymounted at 122 to a channel iron 123 disposed between the channel irons126a and 12% in the foundation F of the device. A connection plate 124depends from the cross bar 111 and is formed with :1 lug 25 to which thepiston rod 30 is articulated. Fluid-operated dampers 126a and 1261)support the arms 2a and 2!) against clockwise movement (FIG. 3) duringthe return stroke of the device,

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that each of the bindertongs la and 1b comprises a respective shaft 13% and 13% receivedrotatably in respective bearings 131a and 1351b and carrying the pulleys115a and 1151: respectively. The pulleys 115a and 1151) are each mountedupon a rotatable head 132a, 1321; in which the arms of the binder tongsare pivotally mounted. Thus, the binder-tong arms, represented generallyat 6, are each swingably connected at 6' to the respective head and, asindicated at the right-hand side in FIG. 2, showing the outlines ofthese arms, can overlap in their closed condition to cross the binderwire 14a prior to the twisting operation. Upon the upper side of one ofthe arms 6' and the underside of the other arm of each of the bindertongs, we provide clamping jaws 8 which are articulated to therespective arm 6 at pivots 8 and co-operate with the tips of these armsso that the latter constitute the counterjaws of a pincer-type clampingdevice. The jaws 8 are actuated by hydraulic cylinders 8" carried by thearms and may be formed with cutting edges as described in greater detailin FIGS. 4-6. The arm 6 can be swung by a rack or worm arran ement (seeFIGS. 4-6 wherein a worm 259, driven at 25 by conventional means, mesheswith rack teeth 252 of the arms 2% and, upon rotation of the worm (arrow256) swings the arms) or via hydraulic means 50 as desired about theirrespective pivots 6'.

The tie-wire feed system comprises a pair of channelshaped guide tubes9a and 9b open in the direction of the respective binder tongs 1a and 1band lying along the rear surface 7a of the coil 7. The tubes 91: and 9b,which are mutually aligned, are thus disposed along an axis of the coil7 and are parallel to the pivot shaft 117 but perpendicular to the axes5a and 5b of the binder tongs 1a and 1b. The tie wires are supplied tothe tubes 9a and 9b whose slots are represented at 11, 9b, by means offeed rollers 19a and 19b driven by motors 19a and 10b and carried bysupports 135a and 1355, Between the pairs of drive rollers 16a, 19b andthe respective guide tubes 9a, 9b, we provide a respective severingarrangement 11a, 1111. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the severing devices11a and 1112 are each actuated by a respective hydraulic cylinder 11a,11b on the respective support 135a and 1155b. The rollers lilo and Iiibadvance the respective tie wires from suitable reels not shown) throughthe respective guide tubes and 9b until the free ends of these tie wiresare exposed centrally of these guide tubes. The wire-feed device is thenelevated via a rack 12 and a pinion 12a (FIG. 3) until the tubes 9a andb lie along the diameter of the coil 7 (FIG. 3). The support 11th isthen advanced by the hydraulic cylinders 3a-3c in the counterclockwisedirection (FIG. 3) with the binder tongs in their open condition(left-hand side of FIG. 2) until the arms 6 engage the respective tiewires at the opposite ends of the respective guide tubes. The clamps 8of these arms then grip the tie wires, the severing devices having cutthe respective lengths in the lower positions of the guide tubes so thatthe free ends of the tie wires extend from the tubes When they areelevated and the cutting devices cannot encumber the gripping procedure.With the ends of the respective tie wire grasped by the clamping devices3, the support is swung in the clockwise sense (FIG. 3) to draw the tiewires from the respective tubes around the coil 7. The arms 6 are thenclosed until they overlap or cross over (right-hand side of FIG. 2) andthe pairs of binder tongs are then rotated via motor 4 about therespective axis 50' and 5b to twist the ends of the tie wires. The tubes9a and 91) carried by the racks 12 are then lowered to receive freshlengths of tie wire while the coil 7 can be carried elf by an overheadconveyor or the like.

In FIGS. 46, we show a modified Wire-feed system which, it will beunderstood, can be used in conjunction with the binder tongs of FIGS.1-3 and, conversely, a set of binder tongs which may be employed withthe feed device of the latter figures. Thus, it can be seen that thefeed device of FIGS. 4-6 comprises a pair of reels 1 6' and 16" fromwhich the strands of the tie wire 16a and 16b are passed between thefeed rollers 10 which correspond to the rollers 10:: and 10b of FIGS.13. The reels 16 and 16 are rotatable about their respective axes upon areel carrier which is journaled upon an axis 14 corresponding to thepath of the twisted wires. As the strands 16a and 16b are passed betweenthe rollers 10, they are twisted together and are led by a guide 2 11into the tubes 17a and 17b assigned to the binder tongs 201a and 20111respectively. The guide tubes 17 (as represented in FIG. 6 for either ofthe tubes) each include a pair of halfshells 17' and 17" in a scissorlinkage which are urged toward one another by a spring 17", thehalf-shell 17 and 17" being pivotally connected at 18 for swingingmovement parallel to the tie wire 14a passing therethrough. The arms 206of the binder tongs are provided with clamping shoes 19 and 20engageable with the tie wire 14a as indicated in FIG. 4. The clampingshoe 19 which is constituted as a jaw, is swingably mounted upon a pivot19a 0n the arm 206 and has a level 19b coupled with a hydraulic cylinder190 for actuating this jaw. counterclockwise rotation of the jaw 19about its pivot 19a by the hydraulic cylinder 19c brings the jaw 19' toward the counterjaw 20 of the arm for the clamping op eration. To severthe desired length of tie wire from the twisted strand 14a, each clamp19, 20 is provided with a stamping blade 21 outwardly of the respectivetube 17a or 17b and adapted to sever the tie wire just prior toengagement of the jaw 19 and 20 therewith. Thus, the proper length oftie wire is retained between the arms 206 of the binder tongs and can bedrawn about the coil 7 without diriiculty. The rollers 10 can thenadvance the twisted strands through the guide tube 17a and 17b whichspring closed after the respective length of tie Wire has been withdrawntherefrom in the direction of arrows 217. The remainder of the tyingoperation is effected in a manner previously described.

The invention described and illustrated is believed to admit of manymodifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, all suchmodifications being considered within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

We claim: 1. A device for tying coils at diametrically oppositelocations, comprising:

a support; two pairs of spaced-apart binder tongs mounted upon saidsupport and adapted to draw respective lengths of tie wire about a coilconfronting said binder tongs at diametrically opposite locations ofsaid coil, said pairs of binder tongs having mutually parallel axesgenerally perpendicular to the plane of said coil;

feed means for supplying respective lengths of tie wire to said bindertongs; means for advancing said support means and both pairs of bindertongs toward and away from said coil for simultaneous fastening of therespective lengths of tie wire therearound, said pairs of binder tongshaving respective shafts rotatable about the respective axes of saidbinder tongs and at least one pair of openable and closable arms mountedupon each shaft;

common drive means on said support and coupled with said shafts forconcurrently rotating same to twist the respective length of tie wiresaround said coil at said location upon closure of the respective arms,said support including a pivot extending generally parallel to saidplane; and further comprising hydraulic means coupled with said supportfor swinging same about said pivot.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said arms is providedwith a respective clamping jaw engageable with the corresponding end ofthe respective length of tie wire and the arms of each pair of bindertongs are pivotable about mutually parallel axes in overlappingrelationship for crossing the respective ends of the respective lengthsof tie wire prior to rotation of the respective shaft to twist the endstogether.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said feed means includes atleast one guide tube respectively confronting each of said binder tongsand extending perpendicularly to the respective binder-tong axis butparallel to said plane and behind said coil for receiving a respectivelength of tie wire with the ends thereof projecting beyond each tube forengagement by respective arms of each pair of binder tongs, said tubeshaving longitudinal outlets for said lengths of tie wire facing saidbinder tongs, and mechanism for advancing the tie wire through saidtubes.

4. A device for tying coils at diametrically opposite locations,comprising:

a support; two pairs of spaced-apart binder tongs mounted upon saidsupport and adapted to draw respective lengths of tie wire about a coilconfronting said binder tongs at diametrically opposite locations ofsaid coil, said pairs of binder tongs having mutually parallel axesgenerally perpendicular to the plane of said coil;

feed means for supplying respective lengths of tie wire to said bindertongs;

means for advancing said support means and both pairs of binder tongstoward and away from said coil for simultaneous fastening of therespective lengths of tie wire therearound, said pairs of binder tongshaving respective shafts rotatable about the respective axes of saidbinder tongs and at least one pair of openable and closable arms mountedupon each shaft;

common drive means on said support and coupled with said shafts forconcurrently rotating same to twist the respective length of tie wiresaround said coil at said location upon closure of the respective arms,said feed means including at least one guide tube respectivelyconfronting each of said binder tongs and extending perpendicularly tothe respective bindertong axis but parallel to said plane and behindsaid coil for receiving a respective length of tie wire with the endsthereof projecting beyond each tube for engagement by respective arms ofeach pair of binder tongs, said tubes having longitudinal outlets forsaid lengths of tie wire facing said binder tongs, and mechanism foradvancing the tie wire through said tubes,

cutting means on each of said arms for severing the respective length oftie wire upon engagement with the wire passing through the respectivetube.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said tubes is formedfrom a pair of half-shells springloaded for closure of the respectiveoutlet.

6. A device for typing coils at diametrically opposite locations,comprising:

a support;

two pairs of spaced-apart binder tongs mounted upon said support andadapted to draw respective lengths of tie wire about a coil confrontingsaid binder tongs at diametrically opposite locations of said coil, saidpairs of binder tongs having mutually parallel axes generallyperpendicular to the plane of said coil;

feed means for supplying respective lengths of tie wire to said bindertongs;

means for advancing said support means and both pairs of binder tongstoward and away from said coil for simultaneous fastening of therespective lengths of tie wire therearound, said pairs of binder tongshaving respective shafts rotatable about the respective axes of saidbinder tongs and at least one pair of openable and closable arms mountedupon each shaft; and

common drive means on said support and coupled with said shafts forconcurrently rotating same to twist the respective length of tie wiresaround said coil at said location upon closure of the respective arms,said feed means including at least one guide tube respectivelyconfronting each of said binder tongs and extending perpendicularly tothe respective bindertong axis but parallel to said plane and behindsaid coil for receiving a respective length of tie wire with the endsthereof projecting beyond each tube for engagement by respective arms ofeach pair of binder tongs, said tubes having longitudinal outlets forsaid lengths of tie wire facing said binder tongs, and mechanism foradvancing the tie wire through said tubes, said mechanism including atleast two reels for respective tie-wire strands, common support meansfor said reels rotatable about an axis for twisting the strands paid offsaid reels, and supply means between said reels and said tubes foradvancing twisted strands from said reels into said tubes.

two pairs of spaced-apart binder tongs mounted upon said support andadapted to draw respective lengths of tie wire about a coil confrontingsaid binder tongs at diametrically opposite locations of said coil, saidpairs of binder tongs having mutually parallel axes generallyperpendicular to the plane of said coil;

feed means for supplying respective lengths of tie wire to said bindertongs;

means for advancing said support means and both pairs ceiving said pairsof binder tongs, said pairs of binder tongs having respective shaftsjournaled in said bearing means; a drive motor mounted upon said supportmember; transmission means respectively coupling said drive 7. A devicefor typing coils at diametrically opposite locations, comprising:

a support;

two pairs of spaced-apart binder tongs mounted upon said support andadapted to draw respective lengths location upon closure of therespective arms, said feed means including at least one guide tuberespectively confronting each of said binder tongs and of tie wire abouta coil confronting said binder tongs motor with said shafts for jointrotation, each of at diametrically opposite locations of said coil, saidsaid shafts having a respective head and a pair of pairs of binder tongshaving mutually parallel axes binder tong arms carried by the respectivehead and generally perpendicular to the plane of said coil; pivotablethereon about mutually parallel axes for feed means for supplyingrespective lengths of tie wire swinging movement thereahout between openposito said binder tongs; tions in which the arms of each head straddlesaid means for advancing said support means and both pairs coil at therespective tying location and closed posiof binder tongs toward and awayfrom said coil for tions in which the arms of each head are crossedover, simultaneous fastening of the respective lengths of said arms eachbeing provided with a respective tie wire therearound, said pairs ofbinder tongs havclamping jaw engageable with a respective extremity ingrespective shafts rotatable about the respective of a length of tie wirefor drawing same about said axes of said binder tongs and at least onepair of coil at the respective tying location, said feed means openableand closable arms mounted upon each shaft; including a pair of guidetubes open in the direction common drive means on said support andcoupled with of the respective pair of binder tongs and disposed saidshafts for concurrently rotating same to twist the behind said coil,said tubes being shiftable from a respective length of tie wires aroundsaid coil at said position wherein they lie substantially along adiameter of said coil connecting said locations into a position in whichsaid tubes are remote from said tying locations; and

mechanism for feeding a tie wire to said tubes at the extendingperpendicularly to the respective binderlast-rnentioned positionthereof.

tong axis but parallel to said plane and behind said coil for receivinga respective length of tie wire with the ends thereof projecting beyondeach tube for engagement by respective arms of each pair of bindertongs, said tubes having longitudinal outlets for said References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS lengths of tie wire facing said binder tongs, andA 3325 u mechanism for advancing the tie wire through said 29019669/1959 Bocher 1OO 12 tubes, said mechanism being disposed at a location8/1966v fggi offset from the regions at which said tongs engage 33O496O2/1967 Keuqemagn at X the respective lengths of tie wire; and i u meansfor shifting said tubes between positions of align- FOREIGN PATENTS mentwith said mechanism and with the respective 615 650 2/1961 C d tongs-1,355,475 2/1964 France.

8. A device for typing coils at diametricaly opposite locations,comprising:

a support;

BILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner.

